US military says it destroyed 2 small Iranian boats trying to steal a sea drone - AP News

The U.S. military said it opened fire and destroyed two small Iranian boats that had attempted to take possession of an unmanned surface vessel operating in waters off Iran. The engagement occurred earlier this week, according to a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command.

Captain Tim Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, identified the unmanned vessel as a “Saildrone,” a commercially available craft about 25 feet (8 metres) long that can operate autonomously. He said the response was forceful and that all of the command’s surface drones remain fully accounted for.

Iranian state media reported that the two boats, described as fishing vessels, were attacked in Hormozgan province on Iran’s southern coast and that several fishermen were reported missing following the incident.

The incident comes amid a conflict that has lasted more than six months, with both sides seeking control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for global energy shipments. U.S. forces have recently reported successes in reducing Iran’s influence over the waterway.

A week earlier, the Iranian navy claimed it had captured a U.S. underwater drone at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials later clarified that the drone, an Anduril Dive‑LD model, had malfunctioned and was not a sensitive asset.

The latest encounter was first reported by Axios. The United States has employed Saildrones in the region for several years to monitor maritime traffic, emphasizing that the technology on the vessels is commercially available and does not contain classified components.